Venoclysis equipment



May 22, 1956 D. w. ABEL VENOCLYSIS EQUIPMENT Inn/er? for DAVID W. AB E L .fiii-orneg/ Filed May 12, 1954 VENOCLYSIS EQUIPMENT David W. Abel, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 12, 1954, Serial No. 429,187 4 Claims. (31. 128-221) This invention relates to needles and more particularly to needles for use in the medical arts in Connection with venoclysis equipment'which are provided with a novel piercing point for penetrating a liquid impervious film or diaphragm.

When a needle of the above-mentioned character which has a piercing point at an end thereof and tubular connecting means at the other end is caused to pierce a liquid impervious film or diaphragm, such as a rubber closure plug of a sterile container, it is important that the piercing action of the needle should not result in removing a small piece of the diaphragm where the needle enters and thereby causing the cannula to become clogged or the solution to become contaminated. This problem has long been recognized but no entirely satisfactory solution to the problem has been provided. The solutions heretofore suggested have frequently involved expensive structural changes resulting in substantially weakened the needle or in substantially increasing the difficult of penetrating the diaphragm.

It is, therefore, one of theobjects. of the present invention to provide a piercing needle designed to inhibit coring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a piercing needle which requires less pressure in order to penetrate a diaphragm or the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rubber piercing needle which induces better rescaling properties in rubber diaphragms after withdrawing the said needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved molded plastic venoclysis piercing needle.

Still further objects of this invention will be evident from the detailed description and claimstofollow.

The attainment of the above and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the complete drawings and claims.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation .view of a bottle closure piercing needle embodying the present invention which is connected to a length of tubing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the piercing needle shown in Figure 1 partially in section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

In Figure 1 of the drawing showing an embodiment illustrating :the present invention, the numeral designates generally a bottle closure piercing needle assembly comprising a bottle closure piercing needle 11 secured to a tubular member 12.

In Figure 2 of the drawing the bottle closure piercing needle 11 is shown to comprise a bottle closure piercing head 13, comprised preferably of nylon plastic, and hav- States Patent 2O ing a body section 14 with a conically tapered upper sur face 15 merging with a cylindrical section 16 of smaller diameter. Extending outwardly from the cylindrical section 16 is an elongated tubular needle section 17 of smaller diameter than the cylindrical section 16. The tubular section 17 is provided with a sharp penetrating point generally designated by 18 at the outer extremity thereof. The penetrating point 18 with which the pres ent invention is particularly concerned is provided with at least one lateral opening 19 adjacent but spaced axially inwardly of the point 20 which communicates with an axial passage 21 extending from a point spaced axially inwardly from the point 20 of the needle through the tubular needle section 17 and through the closure piercing head body section 14. Extending forwardly from the leading edge of each opening 19 is an open slotted portion having upstanding lateral walls 22 each of whichare preferably substantially in a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the axial passage 21. The lower or inner wall of the slotted portion is defined by a ledge surface 23 of less width than the axial passage 21 extending rearwardly from a point intermediate the point 20 and the leading edge of the opening 19 and lying substantially in a'plane substantially parallel with the axis of passage 21, said plane being spaced from the saidaxis a distance less than the radius of the said passage 21.

Extending outwardly from the body section 14 in a direction opposite from the needle section 16 is a hollow axial projection 24'which serves as an extension of the axial passage 21. The inner wall of the axial passage 24 adjacent the outer end thereof is preferably flared upwardly as at 25 to provide a more suitable drip forming outlet. Also projecting outwardly from the body section 14 is a generally tubular section 26 spaced outwardly from and concentrically with the axial projection 24. The section 26 has an exterior diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular member 12 which serves as a fluid conduit means.

When the piercing needle of the present invention is inserted through a fluid impervious film or diaphragm, such as a rubber closure for a pharmaceutical container, the generally flattened oval shaped piercing point first penetrates the diaphragm spreading the film with a minimum of force so that substantially the entire thickness of the diaphragm is traversed by the said point of the needle before the enlarged section of the piercing point adjacent the openings 19 enter the impervious film, whereby it is possible to cause the remainder of the piercing needle head to pass substantially through the impervious film byexerting a minimum amount of pressure thereon. Because of the ease with Which the piercing point passes through the diaphragm, there is little or no tendency to tear the diaphragm or cause coring of the diaphragm. A further advantage inherent in the structure of the present piercing needle point is the reduced tendency to plugging of the openings in the needle piercing point, particularly when the piercing point does not extend a great distance beyond the inner surface of the closure diaphragm, since the lower or inner Walls 23 are spaced from the longitudinal axis of the passage 21 a distance less than the radius of the said passage.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service, by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalents thereof. As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my invention, I desire to claim the following subject matter.

I claim:

1. A fluid conveying needle comprising a cannula with a generally tubular lateral wall having a generally conically tapered piercing point at one end, an axial passage extending from a point spaced axially inwardly from p associated with said opening extending rearwardly from a point intermediate the said piercing point and said lateral opening terminating at the said opening, upstanding Wall surfaces extending outwardly from the edges of the said ledge surface defining together with the said ledge surface an open slotted portion merging into the said lateral opening, and connecting means at the other endof said cannula for communicating with a fluid retaining means. a

' 2.,A fluid conveying needle comprising a cannula with a generally tubular lateral wall having'a conically tapered piercing point atone end, an axial passage through said cannula extending from apoint spaced axially inwardly fromthe said point rearwardly through said cannula, at;least two lateral openings symmetrically disposed in said cannula wall at a point spaced axially from the said piercing point communicating with the said axial passage, a ledge surface associated with each of said lateral openings extending rearwardly from a point intermediate the 7 said piercing point and thesaid lateral opening terminating at the said opening, upstanding wall surfaces extending outwardly from the edges of the said ledge surface defining together with the said ledge surface an open slotted portion whichmerges into the said lateral opening and providing the piercing point with an area of reduced'diameter rearwardly of said point, and connecting means at the other end of said cannula for communicating with a fluid retaining means.

3. A fluid conveying needle comprising a cannula with a generally tubular lateral wall having a conically tapered piercing point at one end, an axial passage through said cannula extending from a point spaced axially inwardly from'the said point rearwardly through said cannula, two diametrically opposed lateral openings in said cannula wall at a point spaced axially from the said piercing point communicating with the said axial passage, a ledge surface associated with each of saidlateral openings extending rearwardly from a point intermediate the said piercing point and'the said lateral opening terminating at the said opening, said ledge surface having a width substantially the same as that of the said lateral openings, upstanding wall surfaces extending outwardly from the edges of the said ledge surface defining together with the said ledge surface an open slotted portion which merges into the said lateral opening and providing the piercing point with an area of reduced diameter rearwardly of said point, and connecting means at the other end of said cannula for communicating with a fluid rctaining means. a

4. A fluid conveying needle comprising a cannula with a generally tubular lateral wall having a conically tapered piercing point at one end, an axial passage through said cannula extending from a point spaced axially inwardly from the said point rearwardly through said cannula, two diametrically opposed lateral openings in said cannula wall ata point spaced axially from the said piercing point communicating with the said axial passage, a ledge surface associated with each of said lateral openings extending rearwardly from a point intermediate the said piercing point and the said lateral opening terminating at the said opening, said ledge surface having a width substantially-the same as that'of the said lateral openings and having lateral edges which are substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the cannula, upstanding wall surfaces extending outwardly from the edges of the said ledge surface defining together with the said ledge surface an open slotted portion which merges into the said lateral opening and providing the piercing point with an area of reduced diameter rearwardly of said point, and

' connecting means at the other end of said cannula for communicating with a fluid retaining means.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,452,863 Atwood Apr. 24, 1923 2,470,943 Page May 24, 1949 2,668,533 Evans Feb. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS r 495,569 Germany Apr. 9, 1930 

